Machine for bending and cutting coiled springs.



J. P. LEGGETT. MACHINE FOR BENDING AND CUTTING GOILED SPRINGS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1913. Q Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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WITNESSES:

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0.,wAsH|NcrroN, u. c.

'J. P. LEGGETT.

.. MACHINE FOB. BENDING AND CUTTING OOILED SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1913.

1,094,076. Patgnted Apr. 21,1914

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES- 6) INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY.

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON, D- c.

JHP'. LEGGETT. MACHINE FOR BENDING AND GUTTING GOILED SPRINGS. v APPLICATION FILED AUG'.4, 1913. v 1 094,076, Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH P. LEGG-ETT, OF CARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

MACHINE FOR BENDING AND CUTTING GOILED SPRINGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. Lneen'lir, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Bending and Cutting Coiled Springs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for bending and cut-ting coiled springs.

As commonly used in spring bed bottoms, the ends of the lower coils of cone springs are bent at right angles parallel with the axes of the springs to afford means for retaining the springs in the positions to which they are adjusted. Owing to the extremely stiif and hard material of which springs are made, it is the practice to bend the coil at right angles at a considerable distance from its end in order that the end of the spring may be firmly held during the bending operation. The bent end is then cut off to the length required. This causes a waste of material which my invention avoids. As commonly made, the ends of the spring which are bent at right angles are straight for a considerable distance between the bend and the beginning of the curved part of the coil.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine which will make the right angles bend at the point where the curve of the lower coil begins, thereby producing a symmetrical spring.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine by which two single cone springs may be made from a single double cone or hour glass shaped spring, by bending one of the coils of said single spring at two points and then cutting the bent portion between said two points,

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of my invention-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the machine, a portion of the machine being broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line ab of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the machine. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top view of the machine. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental vertical sectional view, on the line c-cZ of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top view, enlarged, of the machine, having mounted in it a double cone spring, which is held by the clamping members in position for bending and cutting.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 4, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 782,801.

Fig. 8 is a top view of the machine, enlarged, and a portion of the double cone spring. In this view, the parts are shown in the positions occupied by them after the spring has been bent and prior to the cutting operation. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view, showing the parts in the positions represented by Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the small ends of two single cone springs just after the severing operation.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates a vertical standard or support, having extending through it a trans verse bolt 2, to which are pivoted thelower ends of two levers 3, the upper ends of which are respectively secured to bending and cutting jaws 4, which cooperate with each other as shearing jaws, the adjacent edges of which are provided with cooperating notched portions 5, which portions serve, in the operation of the machine, to first bend a portion of a coil of a spring substantially at right angles and in opposite directions at two points and then sever the coil between said two points.

For the purpose of forcing the jaws 4, to the bending and cutting positions I provide a pedal 6, which is pivoted by a bolt 7 to the standard 1. The lower end of a con necting rod 8, is pivoted by means of a bolt 9, to the pedal 6. The upper end of the rod 8 is pivoted to a crank arm 10, secured to a rock shaft 11, which extends through the standard 1 and has pivoted to it, at diametrically opposite points, two links 12 and 13, which are respectively pivoted by bolts 14 and 15, tothe levers 3. For retracting the pedal 6 and the jaws 4, the bolt 9 has secured to it one end of a retracting spring 16, the other end of which is secured to a bolt 17, disposed transversely through the standard 1, near the upper end thereof.

In Fig. 7 is shown a double cone spring of the usual hour-glass form, said spring being designated by the numeral 18. The middle of the spring 18 is provided with two parallel coils 19. A single coil, composed of a half of each of the two coils 19, is the coil which it is designed to bend at right angles and to out. As shown in Fig. 7 this coil has a portion shown in dotted lines, which portion is disposed obliquely to the two jaws 4. For holding this coil, two holding members 20, are pivoted by vertical bolts 21, to the upper end of the standard 1.

T1686 two holding members 20, as shown in Fig. 7 are located at opposite sides of the obliquely disposed portion of the coil which 5 is to be bent and cut. The holding members 20 are held yieldingly against moving apart by means of two coil springs 22, located in and having bearings at their outer ends against two housings 23, which also serve as abutments for limiting the movement apart of the holding members 20 beyond the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9. As shown the members 20 are, preferably, wedge shaped.

In operating the machine, a double cone spring 18, is mounted on the top of the machine, with the two coils 19 disposed as shown in Fig. 7, that is, in position such that the jaws 4, upon being moved toward each other, will pass between these two parallel coils and at opposite sides of the oblique portion, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, which connects the two coils and which forms part of the coil which is to be bent and severed. After the double cone spring has been mounted in the position shown in Fig. 7, the pedal 6 is depressed, thereby swinging the levers 3 and jaws 4 toward each other, through the intermediacy of the connecting rod 8, crank arm 10, rock shaft 11, and links 12 and 13.

Opposite sides of the upper edges, which are adjacent to each other, of the jaws 4:, are beveled, as designated by 24, so as to insure the jaws at passing at opposite sides of the coil which is to be severed. Continued movement toward each other of the jaws 4:, will cause them to have their upper beveled edges 24, pass between the coils 19, and at opposite sides of the oblique connecting portion, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 Further movement toward each other of the jaws 4 will cause the two parallel coils 19, to slide respectively upwardly upon the inclined faces 25, provided one on each jaw 4, below the notch 5, as shown in Fig. 6. The oblique connecting portion of said two coils 19, and which forms part of the coil which is to be bent and severed, moves upwardly along the inclined edges 25, and into the notches 5, which, moving in opposite direc tions and being on opposite sides of the said oblique portion, will cause this portion to be bent at right angles and at opposite directions at the points 26, as shown in Fig. 9. In the meantime. the springs 22 will hold the holdin members 20 tightly against the outer sides of the coil which is being bent, but these springs will yield until the holding members 20 strike against the housing abutments'23, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. When the members 20 are against said abutments 23, there is just suiiicient space between the holding members 20 and the adjacent aws 4. 65 to permit of the entrance therebetween of the two portions of the coil which is being bent, thereby insuring the bending of the spring wire at right angles. After the wire has been bent at right angles in two places, as shown in Fig. 9, continued inward movement of the jaws a will cause the jaws to pass one another at the notched portions 5, thus shearing the wire and severing it at equal distances from the points 26, at which the bends are made. In this manner, two single-cone springs are formed from a single double-cone spring, with their small end coils disposed at right angles to their axes and with the ends of said small coils bent substantially at right angles to said coils and having the proper length and without any waste of material. It will be noted that with the proper thickness of wire employed in the double-cone spring the two halves of the two parallel coils 19 thereof, which form the coil which is bent and severed. will be firmly held during the bending and cutting operation between the jaws 4.- and the hold ing members 20, the abutments 23 serving to support said jaws and holding members during the bending and cutting operations. By having the holding members 20 wedgeshaped and converging toward each other, they are enabled to enter between the closely coiled convolutions of the spring without causing the coils to be distorted. As the cutting and bending jaws bend a portion of a coil to the positions shown in Fig. 8, the two parts of the double-cone spring which are to form the two single-cone springs, are forced laterally in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 8, and at the same time they are forced longitudinally away from each other until the holding jaws 20 strike the abutments 23.

The function of the springs 22 is to initially set the holding members 20 in the position shown in Fig. 7, in which position the wedge shaped members 20 can enter between the convolutions without distorting them, and also hold the double-cone spring with its axis at right angles to the bending jaws l; both before and during the bending operation. lVithout the presence of the holding members 20,the jaws .4. on entering between the coils 19 would swing the spring so that its axis would not be at right angles to the jaws, and the portion bent thereby would not be parallel with the axis of the spring.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. In a machine for bending coiled springs, two wedge-shaped members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending said coil between said members substantially at right angles and at two points.

2. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two wedge-shaped members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending a portion of said coil between said members and cutting said bent portion.

3. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two wedge-shaped members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending a portion of said coil substantially at right angles at two places between said members and for cut ting said bent portion.

4. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two wedge'shaped members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and two cooperating bending and cutting jaws intermediate of said members for bending a portion of said coil and cutting said bent portion.

5. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable cooperating shearing jaws having means for bending a portion of a coil of a spring and cutting said portion after the jaws have bent it, and two wedge-shaped members for engaging and holding opposite sides of said coil during said bending and cutting o erations.

6. In a machine for ben ing and cutting coiled springs, two pivoted cooperating shearing jaws having means for bending a portion of a coil of a spring and cutting said portion after the jaws have bent it, and two wedge-shaped members for engaging and holding opposite sides of said coil during said bending and cutting operations.

7. In a machine for bending coiled springs, yielding means for clamping opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending a portion of said coil at two points and at right angles in opposite directions between said clamping means.

8. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, yielding means for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending a portion of said coil at two points and for cutting said bent portion between said two points.

9. In a machine for bending coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring and means for bending and then cutting a portion of said coil between said members.

10. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, and means for bending a portion of said coil at two points between said members and for cutting said bent portion between said two points.

11. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, yielding means for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, means for limiting the movement apart of said holding means, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil,

12. In a machine for bending coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, abutment means for limiting the movement apart of said movable members, and means intermediate of said members for bending a portion of said coil.

13. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, abutment means for limiting the movement apart of said movable members, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

14. In a machine for bending coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said two members, and means for bending a portion of said coil intermediate of said mem bers.

15. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement a art of said two members, and means for ben ing and cutting a portion of said coil.

16. In a machine for bending coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, abutment means for limiting the movement apart of said members, and means for bending a portion of said coil.

17. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, means for limiting the movement apart of said members, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

18. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, and two cooperating bending and cutting jaws intermediate of said holding members for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

19, In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, abutment means for limiting the movement apart of said members, and two cooperating jaws intermediate of said members for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

20. In a machine for bending and cuttin coiled springs, two movable wedge shape members for holdingopposite sides of a coil of a spring, abutment means for limiting the movement, apart of said members, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

21. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two movable members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, and means for bending at right angles at two places a portion of said coil and for cutting said portion between said two places.

22. In a machine for bending and cut-ting coiled springs, two pivoted members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring, yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil between said members.

23. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two pivoted members for holding opposite sides of a coil of a spring,

yielding means for resisting movement apart of said members, abutment means for limiting the movement apart of said members, and means for bending and cutting a portion of said coil.

24. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two bending and cutting members, and means cooperating therewith by which a coil of a spring may be first bent in opposite directions at two points and then out between said points.

25. In a machine for bending and cutting coiled springs, two cutting members, and means cooperating therewith by which a coil of a spring may be bent at two points and then out between said two points.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. LEGGETT. Witnesses I. C. HonsoN, IV. H. WATERs, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). O. 

